Straightening bar attachment for tubular knit fabric feeder



y 25, 1967 E. s. BEARD 3,332,124

STRAIGHTENING BAR ATTACHMENT FOR TUBULAR KNIT FABRIC FEEDER Filed Oct. 13, 1964 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Edward .5. Beam INVENTOR.

y 25, 1967 E. s. BEARD 3,332,124

STRAIGHTENING BAR ATTACHMENT FOR TUBULAR KNIT FABRIC FEEDER Filed Oct. 13, 1964 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig. 2

Edward 5. Beard INVENTOR.

July 25, 1967 E. s. BEARD 3,332,124

STRAIGHTENING BAR ATTACHMENT FOR TUBULAR KNITFABRIC FEEDER Filed Oct. 13, 1964 v s Sheets-Sheet 3 Edward 5. Beard INVENTOR.

BY Qua Mam United States Patent This invention comprises a novel and useful straightening bar attachment for a tubular knit fabric feeder and more particularly pertains to an attachment which is readily applicable to conventional types of tubular knit fabric feeders and which is operative to effect a straightening of a tubular knit fabric as the latter passes through the feeder and prior to winding of the fabric upon the storage roll or other disposition of the fabric.

When continuous lengths of tubular knit fabric are produced by a circular knitting machine, they are frequently subjected to various types of distortion and lack of uniformity in their configuration. Consequently, it is necessary to perform a number of rectifying operations upon the fabrics as for example to stretch them by passing them about a fabric stretcher to thus produce a fiattened sleeve of a substantially uniform width. However, even after this operation there may be a number of other distortions across the width and along the length of the fabric which must be rectified so that a uniform flattened sleeve of a tubular knit fabric is available for storing upon a roll or for handling in other manners.

It is therefore the primary object of this invention to provide a device which is applicable to a tubular knit fabric feeder after the fabric passes over the stretcher bar thereof and which will laterally stretch the fabric in order to remove various distortions from its structure and to remove distortions of the courses of the fabric.

A further object of the invention is to provide an attachment which may be readily applied to conventional types of tubular knit fabric feeders for performing the above-mentioned straightening operations upon the fabric.

A further object of the invention is to provide a fabric straightener of a relatively simple construction and which can be readily adjusted to vary the degree of the straightening stress applied to a fabric during its travel through the machine.

Still another purpose of the invention is to provide a straightening bar attachment for tubular knit fabric feeders which may be compactly and conveniently mounted upon the frame of such a machine between the stretcher bar and the pressing rollers and storage roller of the machine.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a straightening bar attachment for a tubular knit fabric feeder which shall be compactly arranged and enable a single operator to supervise, direct and control the operation of the feeder and of the straightening bar attachment thereof.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a top plan View of the conventional tubular knit fabric feeder shown somewhat diagrammatically and to which the straightening bar attachment of this invention has been applied and positioned for operation upon a fabric passing through the machine;

FIGURE 2 is a detailed view taken upon a somewhat enlarged scale in vertical transverse section substantially upon the plane indicated by section line 2-2 of FIG- URE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a further detailed view also taken in vertical longitudinal section upon an enlarged scale substanice tially upon the plane indicated by section line 3--3 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 is still another detail view in vertical longitudinal section taken substantially upon the plane indicated by section line 4-4 of FIGURE 1 and showing the mounting means for the straightening bar attachment;

FIGURE 5 is still another detail view taken in vertical longitudinal section substantially upon the plane indicated by section line 55 of FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 6 is a perspective view of one of the bars of the straightening bar attachment;

FIGURE 7 is a view in vertical transverse section taken upon an enlarged scale substantially upon the plane indicated by section line 7-7 of FIGURE 6; and

FIGURE 8 is a further detail view in fragmentary perspective of a portion of the spreader bar which may be employed with this invention.

Referring first to FIGURE 1 of the drawings, the numeral 10 designates generally in somewhat diagrammatic form the conventional type of a tubular knit fabric feeder having a frame which includes side frame members 12 and along which a tubular knit fabric 20 is adapted to move from any suitable source such as a tubular fabric knitting machine or other source of supply for a tubular knit fabric, in a continuous sleeve or ribbon to the storage roller 22 which is suitably journalled in the frame of the machine and extends transversely between the side frame members thereof.

Referring particularly to FIGURE 3 it will be seen that the tubular knit fabric 20 during its travel longitudinally of the machine passes through a pair of power operated presser rollers 24 which are likewise suitably journalled upon the frame of the machine and extend transversely thereof. At the forward end of the machine there is provided a spreader bar 26 of any suitable design and which functions in the usual manner to stretch the fabric laterally as the fabric envelopes the spreader bar and passes thereabout during the travel from the source, in the direction indicated by the arrow 30 through the presser rollers 24 and to the storage roller 22.

The spreader bar performs the usual functions of laterally spreading the fabric so as to form the latter into a thin flattened sleeve or ribbon in readiness for winding of 'the fabric upon the storage roller 22 or for more suitable disposition of the fabric after the stretching operation has been completed.

Although spreaders function effectively to produce a fabric of uniform width, and in a flat condition where it may be readily folded or otherwise disposed for subsequent handling and treatment, the fabric is still usually attended by and contains portions which are distorted in various manners so that the rows of stitching do not appear uniform across the fabric Width.

It is a primary purpose of this invention to provide an attachment which may readily apply to a conventional tubular knit fabric feeder and which when so applied will function to laterally tension and stretch the fabric across its width and thereby remove the distortions of the stitches or courses of the fabric and produce a fabric having a uniform appearance across its width.

The straightening attachment of this invention is of a relatively simple character consisting of a pair of spreader bars, there being a first spreader bar 32 and a second spreader bar 34 which extend transversely of the machine between the side frame members 12 and transversely of the fabric 20 and its path of movement from the presser rollers 24 and the storage roller 22. For the purposes of considering the function and cooperative association of this attachment with the machine, the presser rollers 24 may also be considered as the source from which the fabric is fed to the storage roller 22.

The two straightening bars 32 and 34 may be of identical construction, and therefore attention is directed specifically to FIGURE 6 in which the spreader bar 32 is shown as consisting of a rod-like element having opposite ends or extremities 36 with an intermediate portion which is laterally offset as by being arcuated or bowed, this portion being indicated by the numeral 38. On either, or if desired for convenience, both ends the straightening bars 32 and 34 are preferably provided with knobs 40 which constitute the means whereby adjustable manual rotation may be imparted to the straightening bars.

Referring now also to FIGURES 3-5 it will be seen that each of the straightening bars is provided with a pair of mounting means 42 and 44, respectively. Each mounting means comprises a support standard 46 having a laterally enlarged flanged foot or base 47 and which is secured to the respective side frame member 12 as set forth hereinafter. At their upper ends, the standards which are of different lengths for the two bars are provided with transversely aligned bores 48 comprising journals in which are received the ends 36 of the straightening bars. A locking means, which may consist of a thumb screw 50 having a screwthreaded shank 52 threadedly engaged in the upper end of the standard 46, enters the bore 48 to engage and clamp the ends of the bar in rotationally adjusted position therein.

It will be observed that the two straightening bars 32 and 34 are disposed in a spaced side-by-side relation but are independently rotationally adjustable in their mounting means, from either end, as by manually operating the control knob 40 thereof. Once the desired rotational adjustment has been imparted to the bar, the locking means 50 may be operated to fixedly secure the bar in its adjusted position.

Observing now FIGURE 2 in conjunction with FIG- URE 3 it will be seen that the two straightening bars are disposed so that the lateral deflections 38 are positioned and may be positioned on opposite sides of the path of movement of the fabric from the presser rollers 24 to the storage roller 22 and thus produce a lateral deflection of the fabric from its path of movement. Conveniently, by virtue of the different lengths of the standards 46 of the two sets of mounting means 42 and 44, the midportions or deflecting portions 38 of the bars are disposed on opposite sides of this path of movement. In any event, the successive deflecting portions impart successively different or successively opposite deflections to the fabric during its path of movement. Obviously, the extent of these deflections can be varied by adjustably rotating the bars in their journals of the mounting means as indicated by the arrows 54 and 56 of FIGURE 3. In this manner, it is evident that the range or magnitude of deflection imparted to the fabric during its travel between the presser rollers 24 and the storage roller 22 may be varied so as to thereby adjustably control the lateral tension and distortion temporarily imparted to the fabric in order to stress, stretch and thus correct the distortion of the fabric prior to its entry into the attachment of this invention.

It will be noted that the straightening bar attachment is compactly disposed between the presser rollers and the storage roller to thereby not increase the over-all length of the conventional machine. This is an important feature of the invention inasmuch as usually space is at a premium in plants which utilize such a machine and the present invention enables existing conventional machines to be used without increasing the space required for the operation.

The invention further contemplates means for adjustably positioning the two straightening bars longitudinally of the machine along the direction of the path of movement of the fabric. Thus, the frame members 12 are preferably provided with longitudinally extending slots 60 and the support foot or flange 47 of each standard is slidable upon the top surface of the side frame members 12 and is adjustably retained thereon as by the fastening bolts 62 which extend through the flanges 47 and are slidably engaged in the slot 60. Thus, the individual transversely disposed pairs of mounting means can be individually adjusted longitudinally of the machine to vary the spacing between these bars as well as the spacing of the bars from the presser rollers and the storage roller.

In view of the simplicity of construction of the compactness of the arrangement a single attendant can operate the entire machine including the adjustment of the straightening bar attachment.

From a consideration of FIGURE 7 it will be noted that the straightening bar 32 and of course the other bar 34 are preferably generally circular in cross-sectional although other cross-sectional configurations may be employed if desired. However, the exterior surface of the bar is provided with a roughened frictional surface as for example by being provided with a knurled or serrated portion 64 by means of which the bar imparts a frictional drag to the fabric passing thereover so that the deflected portion of the fabric is caused to cling to the bar and thus increase the tensioning and straightening effect applied to the fabric by the bar.

Shown in FIGURES 1 and 8 is a particular construction of a fabric spreader which although not essential to the satisfactory operation of the straightening bar attachment does contribute toward its eflicient functioning. The spreader bar 26 comprises two arcuately extending arms and 72 preferably of identical construction and which have parallel portions 74 each secured to the conventional spreader bar mounting means. The other ends of the two arms 70 and 72 have convergingly curved 'portions 76 which at their adjacent ends are pivoted as at 78. In this manner the arms may be moved towards and from each other about their pivots to thereby vary the width of the spreader bar in accordance with the width of the tubular knit fabrics to be stretched by the spreader bar.

Further, as will be apparent from FIGURE 8, each of the arms 70 and 72 throughout its length consists of parallel plates or bars 80 and 82 which at their pivoted end are integrally joined by the bridging portion 84 from which extends an apertured lug 86. A pair of links 88 and 90 are secured by the pivot pins 78 to the adjacent end lugs 86 of the two arms 70 and 72.

Received in the space between the two bars or plates 80 and 82 are a plurality of rollers 92 each journalled upon a pivot pin 94 extending between the plates 80 and 82. The peripheries of these rollers project beyond the opposite sides of the bars so as to rollingly engage the internal walls of the tubular fabric 20 and reduce the dragging action thereon.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A straightening attachment for a tubular knit fabric feeder of the type having a frame with side members together with a spreader, presser rollers and a storage roller journaled upon said frame and extending transversely between said side members, said attachment comprising a pair of straightening bars disposed in spaced side-by-side relation and operatively positioned between the presser rollers and the storage roller and between which the fabric passes with the bars disposed on opposite sides of the fabric so as to successively deflect the fabric in opposite directions to remove the distortions of the courses of the fabric, mounting means on said frame supporting the opposite ends of each bar and positioning each bar in an offset relation to the path of movement of a tubular knit fabric moving from said presser roller-s to the storage roller whereby to impart a lateral displacement of the fabric during its passage over said bars and thereby effect a lateral tension and straightening of said fabric during said passage.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein said bars are laterally bowed between their ends.

3. The combination of claim 1 wherein at least one of said bars is offset along its longitudinal axis between its ends and the mounting means for said one bar support-s the bar for rotatable adjustment along its axis.

4. The combination of claim 3 including means for releasably locking said one bar in rotationally adjusted positions.

5. The combination of claim 1 wherein at least one of said bars has a roughened frictional surface for engagement by said fabric.

6. The combination of claim 1 wherein said mounting means are longitudinally adjustable upon said frame.

7. The combination of claim 1 wherein said mounting means includes individual mounting means for each bar and said individual mounting means being independently longitudinally adjustable upon said frame along said fabric path of movement so as to vary the positioning of said bars relative to each other.

8. The combination of claim 7 wherein each individual mounting means comprises a support bracket having rection of said fabric path of movement, fasteners slidably engaged in said slots and securing said brackets to said frame.

9. The combination of claim 1, wherein one of the bars is disposed in a horizontal plane above the horizontal plane in which the other bar lies with the fabric pass in-g t'herebetween.

10. The combination of claim 1 wherein at least one of said bars is laterally offset along its longitudinal axis between its ends and the laterally off-set portion has a roughened frictional surface for engagement by the fabric.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,240,631 9/1917 Trier 26-54 X 2,222,794 11/1940 Cohn et al 26-55 2,486,121 10/1949 Corn 26--54 X 2,592,090 4/1952 Weaver 26-54 X 3,020,620 2/1962 Hill 26--S1.3 3,106,365 10/1963 Karr. 3,126,606 3/1964 Beard 26-55 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,044,454 6/ 1953 France.

644,030 4/ 1937 Germany.

416,905 9/ 1934 Great Britain.

an opening receiving one end of a bar, said frame hav'--- ROBERT R. MACKEY, Primary Examiner.

ing slots extending longitudinally thereof along the di- 

1. A STRAIGHTENING ATTACHMENT FOR A TUBULAR KNIT FABRIC FEEDER OF THE TYPE HAVING A FRAME WITH SAID MEMBERS TOGETHER WITH A SPREADER, PRESSER ROLLERS AND A STORAGE ROLLER JOURNALED UPON SAID FRAME AND EXTENDING TRANSVERSELY BETWEEN SAID SIDE MEMBERS, SAID ATTACHMENT COMPRISING A PAIR OF STRAIGHTENING BARS DISPOSED IN SPACED SIDE-BY-SIDE RELATION AND OPERATIVELY POSITIONED BETWEEN THE PRESSER ROLLERS AND THE STORAGE ROLLER AND BETWEEN WHICH THE FABRIC PASSES WITH THE BARS DISPOSED ON OPPOSITE SIDES OF THE FABRIC SO AS TO SUCCESSIVELY DEFLECT THE FABRIC IN OPPOSITE DIRECTIONS TO REMOVE THE DISTORTIONS OF THE COURSES OF THE FABRIC, MOUNTING MEANS ON SAID FRAME SUPPORTING THE OPPOSITE ENDS OF EACH BAR AND POSITIONING EACH BAR IN AN OFFSET RELATION TO THE PATH OF MOVEMENT OF A TUBULAR KNIT FABRIC MOVING FROM SAID PRESSER ROLLERS TO THE STORAGE ROLLER WHEREBY TO IMPART A LATERAL DISPLACEMENT OF THE FABRIC DURING ITS PASSAGE OVER SAID BARS AND THEREBY EFFECT A LATERAL TENSION AND STRAIGHTENING OF SAID FABRIC DURING SAID PASSAGE. 